System and method for thermal control during delivery of a medication package

ABSTRACT

A method for controlling an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle for delivery of a medication package includes determining a thermal control period for the medication package. The method also includes identifying a delivery location corresponding to the medication package. The method also includes identifying at least one environmental characteristic of an environment that includes a delivery three-dimensional flight path between a starting location and the delivery location, wherein the at least one environmental characteristic indicates an actual weather value at the delivery location. The method also includes determining whether to deliver the medication package based on the thermal control period and the at least one environmental characteristic, using the unmanned aerial vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/994,796 filed Nov. 28, 2022; said application Ser. No. 17/994,796 isa continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/849,415 filed Apr.15, 2020 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,513,538), the entire disclosures of whichare incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to medication delivery and in particular tosystems and methods for thermal control during delivery of a medicationpackage.

BACKGROUND

Medications, such as prescription medications, over-the-countermedications, vitamins, supplements, and the like, are increasingly beingdelivered by a medication provider to a residence or other location ofan individual requiring such medications. Medications may be deliveredusing a variety of delivery services, such as a postal service, a parceldelivery service, a contractor, or other service under direct control ofa corresponding medication provider, and the like.

Some medications, such as insulin, probiotics, certain antibiotics, andthe like, may be susceptible to exposure to thermal conditions of adelivery environment without proper care during delivery. For example,insulin may gradually lose efficacy after a period of heat exposure,which may cause the insulin, if used by the individual, to provideunpredictable results, causing undesired and/or dangerous side effectsfor the individual.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates generally to medication delivery.

An aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes a method for controllingan unmanned aerial vehicle for delivery of a medication package. Themethod includes determining a thermal control period for the medicationpackage. The method also includes identifying a delivery locationcorresponding to the medication package. The method also includesidentifying at least one environmental characteristic of an environmentthat includes a delivery three-dimensional flight path between astarting location and the delivery location, wherein the at least oneenvironmental characteristic indicates an actual weather value at thedelivery location. The method also includes determining whether todeliver the medication package based on the thermal control period andthe at least one environmental characteristic, using the unmanned aerialvehicle.

Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes an apparatus forcontrolling unmanned flight delivery of a medication package. Theapparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory includesinstructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processorto: determine a thermal control period for the medication package;identify a delivery location corresponding to the medication package;identify at least one environmental characteristic of an environmentthat includes a delivery three-dimensional flight path between astarting location and the delivery location wherein the at least oneenvironmental characteristic indicates, at least, an actual weathercondition at the delivery location; and determine whether to deliver themedication package based on the thermal control period and the at leastone environmental characteristic, using an unmanned aerial vehicle.

Another aspect of the disclosed embodiments includes a computing devicefor controlling delivery of a medication package. The computing deviceincludes at least one processor and at least one memory. The at leastone memory includes instructions that, when executed by the at least oneprocessor, cause the at least one processor to: determine a thermalcontrol period for the medication package; determine whether to deliverthe medication package based on the thermal control period and at leastone environmental characteristic corresponding to a delivery pathbetween a delivery hub and a delivery destination; in response to adetermination to deliver the medication package, selectively instruct anunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to transport the medication package fromthe delivery hub to the delivery destination; receive a notificationfrom the unmanned aerial vehicle indicating that the unmanned aerialvehicle deposited the medication package at the delivery destination;determine, in response to receiving the notification, whether arecipient of the medication package has retrieved the medicationpackage; in response to a determination that the recipient of themedication package has not retrieved the medication package, calculate adifference between the thermal control period and a package deliveryperiod, the package delivery period corresponding to a period betweenthe unmanned aerial vehicle leaving the delivery hub with the medicationpackage and a current time; and in response to a determination that thedifference between the thermal control period and the package deliveryperiod is less than a threshold, selectively instruct one of theunmanned aerial vehicle or one of a plurality of other unmanned aerialvehicles to retrieve the medication package from the deliverydestination.

These and other aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in thefollowing detailed description of the embodiments, the appended claims,and the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure is best understood from the following detaileddescription when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Itis emphasized that, according to common practice, the various featuresof the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of thevarious features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity.

FIG. 1 generally illustrates an unmanned aerial vehicle according to theprinciples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 generally illustrates a computing device according to theprinciples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A generally illustrates a block diagram of a medication packagedelivery system according to the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B generally illustrates an unmanned aerial vehicle communicationsnetwork according to the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram generally illustrating a medication packagedelivery method according to the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram generally illustrating an alternativemedication package delivery method according to the principles of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram generally illustrating an alternativemedication package delivery method according to the principles of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram generally illustrating an alternativemedication package delivery method according to the principles of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 8 generally illustrates a schematic view of system according to theprinciples of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 generally illustrates a pharmacy according to the principles ofthe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of theinvention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred,the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used,as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. Inaddition, one skilled in the art will understand that the followingdescription has broad application, and the discussion of any embodimentis meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended tointimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, islimited to that embodiment.

As described, medications, such as prescription medications,over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements, and the like, areincreasingly being delivered by a medication provider to a residence orother location of an individual requiring such medications. Medicationsmay be delivered using a variety of delivery services, such as a postalservice, a parcel delivery service, a contractor, or other service underdirect control of a corresponding medication provider, and the like.Such delivery services may be ground-based vehicles or aircraft.

Some medications, such as insulin, probiotics, certain antibiotics, andthe like, may be susceptible to exposure to thermal conditions of adelivery environment without proper care during delivery. For example,insulin may gradually lose efficacy after a period of heat exposure,which may cause the insulin, if used by the individual, to provideunpredictable results, causing undesired and/or dangerous side effectsfor the individual. Typically, medication providers provide atemperature controlled package (e.g., using an insulated containerand/or ice, gel packs, dry ice, and the like) for delivery ofmedications that are susceptible to damage resulting from extendedexposure to relatively high temperatures or extended exposure torelatively low temperatures.

Such temperature controlled packages (e.g., including variousmedications) are typically prepared by the medication provider at acorresponding facility and then transported or handed off to a deliveryservice, such as those described herein. The delivery service may thentransport the temperature-controlled packages through a correspondingdelivery network until the temperature-controlled packages reachrespective delivery destinations.

Typically, the medication provider determines a proper type and amountof thermal protection for a medication package (e.g., a temperaturecontrolled package), taking into account an amount of time, or packagedelivery period, that the medication package will be in a correspondingdelivery network and/or an estimated amount of time, or an estimatedretrieval period, that the medication package may remain at the deliverdestination (e.g., after being deposited by the delivery service) beforea recipient (e.g., an individual requiring the medications or otheroccupant of the delivery destination) retrieves the medication package(e.g., and removes the medication from the v package for proper storageand/or use).

However, due to variation in the delivery network, traffic along adelivery route, weather conditions, and the like, delivery of themedication package may be delayed, which may cause the medication in themedication package to be exposed to increased or decreased temperatures,which may adversely affect the efficacy of the medication, as described.

Accordingly, systems and methods, such as those described herein, thatare configured to provide improved thermal control of medicationpackages, may be desirable. The systems and methods described herein maybe configured to determine a thermal control period for the medicationpackage. The systems and methods described herein may be configured toidentify a delivery location corresponding to the medication package.The systems and methods described herein may be configured to identifyat least one environmental characteristic of an environment thatincludes a delivery route between a starting location and the deliverylocation. The systems and methods described herein may be configured todetermine whether to deliver the medication package based on the thermalcontrol period and the at least one environmental characteristic. Thesystems and methods described herein may also determine the length oftime a mediation package may remain at the delivery location before thethermal budget of the medication inside of the mediation package isexceeded.

In some embodiments, the thermal control period corresponds to a periodthat a medication of the medication package may safely remain in themedication package. In some embodiments, the at least one environmentalcharacteristic includes a thermal profile of the delivery location. Thethermal profile may vary based on environmental conditions at thelocation of the medication package, which may be measured using the atleast one environmental characteristic. In some embodiments, the atleast one environmental characteristic includes a maximum predicted windvelocity along the delivery route. In some embodiments, the at least oneenvironmental characteristic includes an average predicted wind velocityalong the delivery route. In some embodiments, the at least oneenvironmental characteristic includes an average predicted thermalexposure of the medication package along the delivery route. In someembodiments, the at least one environmental characteristic includes anaverage predicted thermal exposure of the medication package during aperiod the medication package is estimated to be at the deliverylocation.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may beconfigured to identify at least one recipient characteristiccorresponding to a recipient of the medication package. The systems andmethods described herein may be configured to, determine whether todeliver the medication package based on the thermal control period, theat least one environmental characteristic, the at least one recipientcharacteristic, or a combination thereof. The systems and methodsdescribed herein may be configured to, in response to a determination todeliver the medication package, deliver the medication package to thedelivery location using an unmanned aerial vehicle.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may beconfigured to determine a thermal control period for the medicationpackage. The systems and methods described herein may be configured todetermine whether to deliver the medication package based on the thermalcontrol period and at least one environmental characteristiccorresponding to a delivery path between a delivery hub and a deliverydestination. The systems and methods described herein may be configuredto, in response to a determination to deliver the medication package,selectively instruct an unmanned aerial vehicle to transport themedication package from the delivery hub to the delivery destination.The systems and methods described herein may be configured to receive anotification from the unmanned aerial vehicle indicating that theunmanned aerial vehicle deposited the medication package at the deliverydestination. The systems and methods described herein may be configuredto determine, in response to receiving the notification, whether arecipient of the medication package has retrieved the medicationpackage.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may beconfigured to, in response to a determination that the recipient of themedication package has not retrieved the medication package, calculate adifference between the thermal control period and a package deliveryperiod. The package delivery period may correspond to a period betweenthe unmanned aerial vehicle left the delivery hub with the medicationpackage and a current time.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may beconfigured to, in response to a determination that the differencebetween the thermal control period and the package delivery period isless than a threshold, selectively instruct one of the unmanned aerialvehicle or one of a plurality of other unmanned aerial vehicles toretrieve the medication package from the delivery destination. Theunmanned aerial vehicle and the plurality of other unmanned aerialvehicles may include autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles.

FIG. 1 generally illustrates an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 10according to the principles of the present disclosure. The UAV 10 mayinclude an aerial vehicle that is unpiloted or unmanned and may bereferred to as a drone. The UAV 10 may include a body 12. The body 12may include any suitable body and comprise any suitable shape and/orsize.

In some embodiments, the UAV 10 may include one or more rotors 14. Therotors 14 may be configured to rotate at a rate that causes the UAV 10to lift. The rotors 14 may be selectively rotatable along a horizontalaxis causing the UAV 10, in response to various rotations of selectiveones of the rotors 14 about the horizontal axis, to cause the UAV 10 totravel in a forward direction, travel in a backward direction, travel inone of various sideways directions, or travel in any suitable direction.In some embodiments, the one or more of the rotors 14 may rotate along avertical axis. It should be understood that, while the UAV 10 isillustrated to include four rotors 14, the UAV 10 may include one rotor14, two rotors 14, three rotors 14, four rotors 14, or any suitablenumber of rotors 14, and/or other suitable rotors other than the rotors14. Additionally, or alternatively, the rotors 14 may include any sizeor number of rotor blades. The rotors 14 may be designed to provide liftfor the UAV 10 and/or any package that the UAV 10 may carry to adestination location. In some embodiments, the UAV 10 may include one ormore wings to provide lift and/or assist the rotors 14 to lift the UAV10.

In some embodiments, the UAV 10 may include a carrier 16 disposed on thebody 12. The carrier 16 may be configured to carrier or hold a package,such as a medication package 18. The carrier 16 may include one or morecarrier arms 16′. The carrier arms 16′ may include actuatable orarticulate arms in communication with one or more actuating componentsthat cause the carrier arms 16′ to extend in any suitable direction andto retract toward the medication package 18, such that the carrier arms16′ securely grip and/or hold the medication package 18. Thearticulating components may include a stepper motor and a linkage (e.g.or other suitable components) configured to cause the carrier arms 16′to move from an open position to a closed position, to release a packageor grip a package respectively.

It should be understood that the carrier 16 and/or carrier arms 16′ mayinclude any suitable carrier and/or carrier arms and may be configuredto securely grip or hold the medication package 18 in any suitablemanner other than those described herein. Additionally, oralternatively, the UAV 10 may include the carrier 16 and/or a basket, anet, a closable compartment (e.g., including a lockable compartment), orany suitable mechanism for securely gripping, holding, and/or carryingthe medication package 18.

In some embodiments, the body 12 may be configured to house or enclose acontroller 20 configured to control operations of the UAV 10. Thecontroller 20 may include a processor and a memory. The processor mayinclude any suitable processor, such as those described herein. Thememory may include Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM),or a combination thereof. The memory may store programs, utilities, orprocesses to be executed in by the processor. The memory may providevolatile data storage, and stores instructions related to the operationof the UAV 10. For example, the memory may store UAV specificinstructions for execution by the processor and data related to themedication package 18, the other UAVs 10′, the environmentalcharacteristics (e.g., or the route, the destination location, and/orother environmental characteristics), other suitable data, or acombination thereof.

The UAV 10 may include various sensors or data capturing devices. Forexample, the UAV 10 may include a satellite positioning (e.g., a globalpositioning system (GPS) sensor) 22 configured to provide globalpositioning data. The satellite navigation receive may also operate todetermine a UAV location using a global navigation satellite system(GLONASS), BeiDue navigation system, Galileo navigation system, and thelike. The controller 20 may use the global position data received fromthe satellite positioning sensor 22 to operate the UAV 10 along adelivery path for the medication package, or any suitable path. The pathmay be calculated based on information indicating characteristics of thephysical terrain and various manmade structures. The UAV 10 may includea communication device 24 configured to communicate with, as isgenerally illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, other UAVs, such as the otherUAVs 10′, one or more mobile computing devices, such as the mobilecomputing device 202, data sources, such as a location specific datasource 204 and an environmental characteristics data source 206, a hubstation, such as the hub station 210, other suitable devices ormechanism, or a combination thereof.

The communication device 24 may include any suitable communicationdevice, such as a WiFi transmitter and/or receiver, a Bluetooth device,a long-range communication device, a short-range communication device, aradio device, a 4G device, a 5G device, any other suitable communicationdevice, or a combination thereof. The communication device 24 mayprovide communication device 24 provides communication between the UAV10 and a hub, a base station, or other UAVs.

The UAV 10 may include an image-capturing device 26 and/or othersuitable data capturing devices. The image-capturing device 26 mayinclude a solid-state image device (e.g. a charge-coupled device (CCD),or other suitable solid-state image capturing device), or other suitableimage-capturing device. The image-capturing device 26 may include or beone of a plurality of image-capturing devices. The image-capturingdevice 26 may be configured to capture image data corresponding to anenvironment external to the UAV 10 (e.g., within a visible range of theimage-capturing device 26). The controller 20 may be configured toanalyze the image data and selectively control the UAV 10 based on theimage data. In some embodiments, the controller 20 may communicate theimage data to the hub station 210. The hub station 210 may analyze theimage data and communicate instructions for controlling the UAV 10 tothe controller 20. The controller 20 may control the UAV 10 based on theinstructions.

The UAV 10 may include a temperature sensor 28. The temperature sensor28 may be configured to sense or measure one or more temperaturemeasurements of the environment external to the UAV 10. The controller20 may selectively control operations of the UAV 10 based on the onetemperature measurements. In some embodiments, the controller 20 maycommunicate the one or more temperature measurements to the hub station210. The hub station 210 may analyze the one or more temperaturemeasurements and may provide instructions to the controller forcontrolling the UAV 10 based on the one or more temperaturemeasurements. The controller may selectively control operations of theUAV 10 and/or other UAVs 10′ based on the instructions. The UAV 10 mayinclude other sensors 30. The other sensors 30 may include any suitablesensors include gyroscope sensors, vibration sensors, motion sensors,moisture sensors, light sensors, infrared sensors, radar sensors, LIDARsensors, sonar sensors, any other suitable sensors, or a combinationthereof.

FIG. 2 generally illustrates a computing device 100 according to theprinciple of the present disclosure. The computing device 100 may beconfigured to control operation of the UAV and/or other UAVs 10′. As isgenerally illustrated, the hub station 210 may include the computingdevice 100 or any other suitable computing device. The computing device100 may be any suitable computing device.

The computing device 100 may include a processor 102 configured tocontrol the overall operation of computing device 100. The processor 102may include any suitable processor, such as those described herein. Thecomputing device 100 may also include a user input device 104 that isconfigured to receive input from a user of the computing device 100 andto communicate signals representing the input received from the user tothe processor 102. For example, the user input device 104 may include abutton, keypad, dial, touch screen, audio input interface, visual/imagecapture input interface, input in the form of sensor data, etc.

The computing device 100 may include a display 106 that may becontrolled by the processor 102 to display information to the user. Adata bus 108 may be configured to facilitate data transfer between, atleast, a storage device 110 and the processor 102. The computing device100 may also include a network interface 112 configured to couple orconnect the computing device 100 to various other computing devices ornetwork devices via a network connection, such as a wired or wirelessconnection. In some embodiments, the network interface 112 includes awireless transceiver.

The storage device 110 may comprise a single disk or a plurality ofdisks (e.g., hard drives), one or more solid-state drives, one or morehybrid hard drives, and the like. The storage device 110 may include astorage management module that manages one or more partitions within thestorage device 110. In some embodiments, storage device 110 may includeflash memory, semiconductor (solid state) memory or the like. Thecomputing device 100 may also include a memory 114. The memory 114 mayinclude Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), or acombination thereof. The memory 114 may store programs, utilities, orprocesses to be executed in by the processor 102. The memory 114 mayprovide volatile data storage, and stores instructions related to theoperation of the computing device 100.

In some embodiments, the processor 102 may be configured to executeinstructions stored on the memory 114 to, at least, control operationsof the UAV 10, the other UAVs 10′, delivery of the medication package18, any other suitable operations, or a combination thereof. Theprocessor 102 may be configured to display, on the display 106, variousUAV control information, various data corresponding to the medicationpackage 18, other suitable information, or a combination thereof. Insome embodiments, the computing device 100 may omit the display 106.

FIG. 3A generally illustrates a block diagram of a medication packagedelivery system 200, including the UAV 10, the other UAVs 10′, and thehub station 210. The UAV 10 may be controlled by a human or roboticpilot via a ground controller and may be referred to as a drone whenbeing controlled by a pilot via a ground controller. In someembodiments, the UAV 10 may be semi-autonomous or fully autonomous. Insome embodiments, the computing device 100 of the hub station 210 mayprovide instructions to the UAV 10 to deliver the medication package 18,retrieve the medication package 18, other suitable instructions, or acombination thereof. The UAV 10 may autonomously carry out theinstructions. For example, the computing device 100 may instruct the UAV10 to transport the medication package 18 to a delivery destination andthe UAV 10 may autonomously determine a flight path to the deliverydestination and/or autonomously determine or execute various otheroperations. In some embodiments, the hub station 210 may be housed orlocated at a pharmacy, at a distribution center, at a delivery center,on a vehicle (e.g., a mobile distribution center), and the like.

In some embodiments, the hub station 210 may identify the UAV 10 and/orone of the other UAVs 10′ for delivery of the medication package 18based on one or more characteristics of the UAV 10 and/or the UAVs 10′.The one or more characteristics may include a flight distance capability(e.g., based on battery charge or other suitable flight distancecapabilities), a carrying capacity, a current location of the UAV 10and/or the UAV 10's to the location of the medication package 18, othersuitable characteristics, or a combination thereof. For example, the hubstation 210 may determine a total travel distance for the UAV 10 toretrieve the medication package 18 starting from a current location ofthe UAV 10 and to deposit the mediation package 18 are the destinationlocation. The hub station 210 may determine whether the battery of theUAV 10 includes enough charge to traverse the total travel distancewhile carrying the medication package 18 (e.g., taking into account theUAV 10 carrying the medication package 18 and any potential drain on thebattery do to the weight, size, shape, and/or other characteristics ofthe medication package 18).

In some embodiments, the medication package 18 may be packed at apharmacy, distribution center, or other suitable location. As described,the medication package 18 may include a temperature-controlled packageincluding insulation, ice, gel packs, dry ice, any other suitablethermal control mechanism, or a combination thereof. For example, atechnician packing medication (e.g., which may include one or morerelated or unrelated medications) in the medication package 18 mayutilize a thermal packaging determination system configured to determinethermal control requirements of the medication in the medication package18. The thermal packaging determination system may indicate to thetechnician suitable amounts of thermal packaging for the medicationpackage 18. The technician may selectively include insulation, ice, gelpacks, dry ice, other suitable thermal control mechanisms, or acombination thereof based on the indication from the thermal packagingdetermination system to control temperature of the medication in themedication package 18 for a period. In some embodiments, an automatedsystem may be configured to autonomously include insulation, ice, gelpacks, dry ice, other suitable thermal control mechanisms, or acombination thereof based on the indication from the thermal packagingdetermination system.

The period, which may be referred to as a thermal control period or athermal budget, may correspond to a period that the temperature of themedication in the medication package 18 is controlled according to thethermal control requirements given various environmental characteristicsassociated with the transportation and delivery of the medicationpackage 18. For example, the thermal packaging determination system mayincrease or decrease various amounts of required insulation, ice, gelpacks, dry ice, and/or other thermal control mechanisms in response toan average climate (e.g., controlled climate, such as on a deliveryvehicle, and/or natural climate) acting on the medication package 18during transportation and/or delivery of the medication package 18.

In some embodiments, the hub station 210 (e.g., via the computing device100) may selectively control delivery of the medication package 18(e.g., and other suitable packages) using the UAV 10 and/or the otherUAVs 10′. The UAV 10 and the other UAVs 10′ may communicate directlywith the computing device 100. Additionally, or alternatively, the UAV10 and the UAVs 10′ may communicate directly with one another using acommunications network, such as a mesh network or other suitablenetwork, as is generally illustrated in FIG. 3B.

The computing device 100 may receive instructions indicating that themedication package 18 is ready for delivery. The computing device 100may receive the instructions from a corresponding pharmacy or anysuitable source.

The instructions may indicate a delivery destination or location for themedication package 18. The medication package 18 may be transported tothe hub station 210 or the hub station 210 may be located at thepharmacy or other suitable location where the medication package 18 ispacked. The computing device 100 may determine, as will be described,whether to deliver the medication package 18 to the delivery destinationbased on various environmental and other information.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may determine a thermalcontrol period for the medication package 18. For example, the computingdevice 100 may include instructions indicating the delivery destinationof the medication package 18. Additionally, or alternatively, theinstructions may include an initial thermal control period. Thecomputing device 100 may determine a current time and selectively adjustthe initial thermal control period based on the current time (e.g., thecomputing device 100 may reduce the initial thermal control period by anamount of time that has passed since the medication package 18 waspacked). Additionally, or alternatively, the computing device 100 mayselectively adjust the initial thermal control period based on anysuitable information.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may identify one or moreenvironmental characteristics of an environment that includes a deliveryroute between the hub station 210 (e.g., a starting location) and thedelivery destination. For example, the hub station 210 may receive, fromone or more environmental characteristic data sources 206, environmentalinformation for the delivery route. The environmental characteristicdata sources 206 may include weather measurement devices, e.g., aweather station, a remotely located computing device (e.g., such as acloud computing server or other suitable remotely located computingdevice), or the like or a combination thereof. In an example embodiment,the environmental characteristic data source 206 may include a weatherdatabase that includes historical environmental information, a databasethat includes estimated or predicted environmental information,downloads from governmental weather measurement sources that provide alocalized weather reading (e.g., within a select distance from thedelivery location, such as 0.5 mile, 1.0 mile, less than 2.0 miles, lessthan 5.0 miles), any other suitable source, or a combination thereof. Inan example embodiment, the sources provide actual environmental valuesat a delivery location, through measurement or by calculation fromweather databases, or combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the environmental information may include anestimated temperature or temperatures for the delivery route during anestimated delivery period, an estimated average temperature for thedelivery route during the estimated delivery period, an estimated amountof sun exposure for the delivery route during the estimated deliveryperiod, any other suitable information, or a combination thereof. Thetemperature and sun exposure can be actual temperature and sunlightvalues measured by other UAVs at the delivery location or other adjacentdelivery locations in combinations with calculated or predictedtemperature and sunlight values from weather prediction databases andhistorical weather databases.

In some embodiments, the environmental information may include anestimated wind velocity or wind velocities for the delivery route duringthe estimated delivery period, a maximum wind velocity for the deliveryroute during the estimated delivery period, an average wind velocity forthe delivery route during the estimated delivery period, other suitableenvironmental information, or a combination thereof. The wind velocitycan be actual wind values from Doppler radar sources, measurements fromUAVs, or combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the environmental information may include an amountof precipitation currently measured, sensed, or determined along theflight path and/or at the delivery location, an estimated amount ofprecipitator expected to be experienced by the UAV 10 along the flightpath and/or at the delivery location, other suitable environmentalinformation, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may receive variousenvironmental measurements from the UAV 10 and/or the UAVs 10′ while theUAV 10 and/or the UAVs 10′ transport other medication packages alongvarious delivery routes that are proximately located to or include atleast part of the delivery route of the medication package 18. Forexample, a first UAV 10′ may measure a current temperature and a currentwind velocity of a delivery route being traversed by the first UAV 10′and communicate the current temperature and current wind velocity to thecomputing device 100. Additionally, or alternatively, a second UAV 10′may measure an amount of sun exposure experienced by the second UAV 10′while the traverses another delivery route being traversed by the secondUAV 10′ and may communicate the amount of sun exposure to the computingdevice 100.

The second UAV 10′ may measure the amount of shade along the deliveryroute or one or more portions of the delivery route. Additionally, oralternatively, some UAVs 10′ and/or the UAV 10 may travel along aportion of a route (e.g., such as a portion of the delivery route) thatmay be traversed by a subsequent UAV 10′ and/or the UAV 10. The measuredsun exposure data, the measured shade data, and/or other measuredenvironmental data from the UAVs 10′ and/or the UAV 10 may be used todetermine the thermal impact on a medication package being carried bythe UAV 10 and/or other UAVs 10′. The computing device 100 may use thereceived measurements to estimate the environmental characteristics ofthe delivery route for the medication package 18.

It should be understood that the computing device 100 may receive aplurality of measurements from a plurality of UAVs over various periodsfor various delivery routes. The computing device 100 may analyze theplurality of measurements and may estimate various environmentalcharacteristics of the delivery route for the medication package 18.Additionally, or alternatively, the computing device 100 may estimatethe environmental characteristics of the delivery route for themedication package 18 using the received measurements, the receivedenvironmental information, any other suitable information, or acombination thereof.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may identify one or morelocation specific characteristics corresponding to the deliverydestination. For example, the hub station 210 may receive, from one ormore location specific data sources 204, location specificcharacteristics of the delivery destination. The location specific datasources 204 may include a one or more sensors disposed at the deliverydestination, other suitable sources, or a combination thereof. Forexample, the computing device 100 may in communication with one or moremobile computing devices at or near the delivery destination. Thelocation specific characteristics may include various environmentalcharacteristics of the delivery destination.

The one or more mobile computing devices may include an application thataccess one or more sensors associated with respective mobile computingdevices. The application may receive temperature measurements, windvelocity measurements, other suitable measurements, or a combinationthereof from the one or more sensors. The application, for eachrespective mobile computing device, may communicate the measurements tothe computing device 100 or to a central repository that the computingdevice 100 accesses to retrieve the measurements. The computing device100 may estimate environmental characteristics of the deliverydestination of the medication package 18 using the measurements.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may receive variouslocation specific information from the UAV 10 and/or the UAVs 10′ whilethe UAV 10 and/or the UAVs 10′ deposit other medication packages to thedelivery destination (e.g., during previous delivery of other medicationpackages). For example, the first UAV 10′ may capture one or more imagesof the delivery destination. The one or more images may include imagesof a deposit location of another medication package, such as a porch, orother suitable deposit location.

The computing device 100 may receive the one or more images and generatea thermal exposure profile for the deposit location. For example, thecomputing device 100 may extrapolate or estimate, based on sun lightexposure to the deposit location, in the one or more images, an amountof sun light exposure at the deposit location for various times of dayduring various days of the year. The images may be from UAVs thatpreviously delivered to the delivery location. The use of UAVs todelivery medications is useful as many patients receive subsequentmedication, e.g., prescriptions for maintenance medications that may bedelivered monthly or every three months. The data surrounding thedelivery location can be measured and images taken by the UAV at eachdelivery. The computing device 100 may output a sunlight exposure value.The computing device 100 may use the sun light exposure valuecorresponding to the deposit location to estimate an amount of increased(e.g., due to sun exposure) or decreased (e.g., due to an amount ofshade at the deposit location) thermal exposure experienced by themedication package 18 during an estimated deposit period. The depositperiod may correspond to a period between a time the medication package18 is estimated to be deposited at the deposit location and a time thata recipient of the medication package 18 retrieves the medicationpackage 18 from the deposit location.

It should be understood that the one or more images may include anysuitable information and the computing device 100 may generate anysuitable thermal profile for any suitable location at the deliverydestination. Additionally, or alternatively, the one or more images mayinclude images of other various delivery destinations or other suitablelocations proximately located to the delivery destination. The computingdevice 100 may generate the thermal profiles for the deliverydestination using the images of the other various delivery destinationsor other suitable locations. Additionally, or alternatively, thecomputing device may receive one or more images from the UAV 10 and/or aplurality of the UAVs 10′ that include images of any suitable deliverydestination, including the delivery destination of the medicationpackage 18, or any other suitable location.

In some embodiments, the one or more images may include or indicate datacorresponding to the day of the year and/or the time of day. Thecomputing device 100 may use the data to generate an accurate module ata location along various flight paths to be used by the UAV 10 and/orother UAVs 10′. Additionally, or alternatively, the computing device 100may use data corresponding to the one or more images to predictsunlight, shade, and/or other visible environmental characteristics fora specific location (e.g., identified using satellite navigationcoordinates or other suitable information). The computing device 100 mayuse the data corresponding to the one or more images to determine adelivery time for the medication package 18 (e.g., or other suitablemedication package) and/or a flight path for the UAV 10 and/or otherUAVs 10′.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may identify one or morerecipient characteristics corresponding to a recipient of the medicationpackage 18. For example, the computing device 100 may communicate with amobile computing device 202. The mobile computing device 202 maycorrespond to or be associated with the recipient. The mobile computingdevice 202 may include any suitable mobile computing device, such as asmart phone, a tablet-computing device, and the like. The mobilecomputing device 202 may include various application data 208. Theapplication data 208 include data from various applications on themobile computing device 202. For example, the application data 208 mayinclude calendar data, global position (e.g., satellite position data)data or other location data, other suitable data, or a combinationthereof.

The computing device 100 may receive the application data 208 from themobile computing device 202. The computing device 100 may determine orestimate a probability that the recipient will retrieve the medicationpackage 18 during a period based on the application data 208. Forexample, the computing device 100 may analyze various calendar data anddetermine a probability, based on various events, calendar appointmentstasks, and the like, that the recipient will be at or near the deliverydestination within the period. Additionally, or alternatively, thecomputing device 100 may determine a current location of the mobilecomputing device 202 based on the satellite positioning data or otherlocation data, and may determine a probability that the recipient willbe at or near the delivery destination during the period.

It should be understood that the computing device 100 may use anysuitable data, including or in addition to, the application data 208 toestimate or determine the period and/or the probability that therecipient will retrieve the medication package 18 from the depositlocation during the period.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 determines whether toinstruct the UAV to deliver the medication package 18 to the deliverydestination based on the thermal control period, one or moreenvironmental characteristics, one or more location specificcharacteristics, one or more recipient characteristics, or a combinationthereof. For example, the computing device 100 may estimate the averagetemperature that the medication package 18 will experience while the UAV10 transports the medication package 18 to the delivery destinationduring the estimated delivery period. The average temperature mayincrease or decrease the thermal control period of the medicationpackage 18. For example, if the computing device 100 determines that theaverage temperature of the delivery route during the estimated delivertime is above a threshold, the computing device 100 may determine thatthe thermal control period of the medication package 18 may decrease.The computing device 100 may selectively adjust the thermal controlperiod based on the average temperature.

The computing device 100 may estimate an average temperature and/or anaverage sun light exposure experienced by the medication package 18after the UAV 10 deposits the medication package 18 at the depositlocation. The computing device 100 may selectively adjust the thermalcontrol period based on the average temperature and/or the average sunlight exposure experienced by the medication package 18 at the depositlocation.

The computing device 100 may estimate a maximum wind velocity and/or anaverage wind velocity experienced by the UAV 10 while the UAV 10traverses the delivery route during the estimated delivery period. Aswind velocity increases, the UAV 10 may experience flight resistance,which may cause a power source, such as a battery, of the UAV 10 todecrease in charge. The decrease in charge may cause the UAV 10 toreduce flight speed in order to conserve charge. Additionally, oralternatively, the flight resistance may reduce the flight speed of theUAV A reduction in flight speed may increase the delivery period. If thecomputing device 100 may selectively adjust the thermal control periodbased on the estimated maximum wind velocity and/or the average windvelocity. In some embodiments, the UAV 10 and/or other UAVs 10′ mayinclude one or more solar panels and/or one or more corresponding solarenergy conversion mechanisms. The one or more solar panels may beconfigured to receive solar energy while the UAV 10 and/or other UAVs10′ traverse a given flight path. The one or more solar energyconversion mechanisms may be configured to convert solar energy receivedby one or more solar panels into power used to charge the battery orother power source of the UAV 10 and/or other UAVs 10′.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 may determine, asdescribed, the probability that the recipient will retrieve themedication package 18 from the deposit location during a period. Theperiod may correspond to a period between a time the UAV 10 deposits themedication package 18 in the deposit location and a threshold amount oftime before the thermal control period expires. If the computing device100 determines that the probability that the recipient will retrieve themedication package 18 from the deposit location during the period isless than a threshold, the computing device 100 determines not toinstruct the UAV 10 to deliver the medication package 18 during thedelivery period. The computing device 100 may then determine anothersuitable delivery period for the UAV 10 to deliver the medicationpackage 18.

Conversely, if the computing device 100 determines that the probabilitythat the recipient will retrieve the medication package 18 from thedeposit location during the period is greater than the threshold, thecomputing device 100 determines to instruct the UAV 10 to deliver themedication package 18 during the delivery period. The UAV 10 maytransport the medication package 18 to the delivery location and maydeposit the medication package 18 in the deposit location.

During transportation of the medication package 18, the UAV 10 maymeasure actual temperatures, wind velocities, sun light exposure, flightspeeds, other suitable measurements, or a combination thereof. The UAV10 may communicate the measurements to proximately located UAVs 10′,which may then communicate the measurements to the computing device 100.For example, the UAV 10 and/or other UAVs 10′ may communicate via awireless mesh network. Each of the UAV 10 and the other UAVs 10′ may actas a node on the wireless mesh network. For example, each of the UAV 10and the other UAVs 10′ may include a radio transceiver configured tocommunicate with others of the UAV 10 and the UAVs 10′. The UAV 10 mayidentify one or more UAVs 10′ within a range of the UAV 10. The UAV 10may communicate, using the radio transceiver, the measurements and/orother information or data to the identified UAVs 10′. The identifiedUAVs 10′ may communicate the measurements and/or other information ordata to others of the UAVs 10′ or directly to the computing device 100.

Additionally, or alternatively, the UAV 10 may communicate themeasurements directly to the computing device 100. The computing device100 may selectively adjust the thermal control period based on themeasurements. The computing device 100 may then determine theprobability that the recipient will retrieve the medication package 18from the deposit location during an adjusted period. The adjusted periodmay correspond to a period between the time the UAV 10 deposits themedication package 18 and a threshold amount of time until the adjustedthermal control period expires.

If the computing device 100 determines that the probability that therecipient will retrieve the medication package 18 from the depositlocation during the adjusted period is less than a threshold, thecomputing device 100 may instruct the UAV 10 to return the medicationpackage 18 to the hub station 210 for later delivery. Conversely, if thecomputing device 100 determines that the probability that the recipientwill retrieve the medication package 18 from the deposit location duringthe adjusted period is greater than the threshold, the computing device100 may instruct the UAV 10 to continue delivery. The computing device100 may communicate with the UAV 10 directly or using one or more of theother UAVs 10′.

In some embodiments, the medication package 18 may include one or moresensors. The one or more sensors may be configured to measure an actualtemperature within the medication package 18, an actual temperature atthe deposit location, any other suitable information, or a combinationthereof. The computing device 100 may receive measurements from the oneor more sensors. For example, the one or more sensors may communicatedirectly with the computing device 100 and/or indirectly with thecomputing device 100 using the UAV 10, other UAVs 10′, using localwireless networks, other suitable communication techniques ormechanisms, or a combination thereof.

The computing device 100 may selectively adjust the thermal controlperiod of the medication package 18 based on the measurements from theone or more sensors of the medication package 18. The computing device100 may then determine the probability that the recipient will retrievethe medication package 18 from the deposit location during an adjustedperiod. The adjusted period may correspond to a period between a currenttime and a threshold amount of time until the adjusted thermal controlperiod expires.

If the computing device 100 determines that the probability that therecipient will retrieve the medication package 18 from the depositlocation during the adjusted period is less than a threshold, thecomputing device 100 may instruct the UAV 10 or one of the other UAVs10′ to retrieve the medication package 18 from the destination locationand return the medication package 18 to the hub station 210 for laterdelivery.

Conversely, if the computing device 100 determines that the probabilitythat the recipient will retrieve the medication package 18 from thedeposit location during the adjusted period is greater than thethreshold, the computing device 100 may monitor the medication package18 to determine whether the recipient has retrieved the medicationpackage 18. For example, the one or more sensors of the medicationpackage 18 may include satellite positioning sensors, gyroscope sensors,motion sensors, other suitable sensors, or a combination thereof. Thecomputing device 100 may receive measurements from the one or moresensors indicating movement of the medication package 18. The movementmay indicate that the medication package 18 has been retrieved by therecipient.

Additionally, or alternatively, the computing device 100 may receive,from the mobile computing device 202, an indication that the medicationpackage 18 has been retrieved. For example, the recipient may interactwith an application on the mobile computing device 202 to indicate thatthe recipient has retrieved the medication package 18. In someembodiments, the UAV 10 may capture image data, using theimage-capturing device 26, of the recipient retrieving the medicationpackage 18 from the deposition location. The UAV 10 may communicate theimage data via the wireless mesh network, as described.

If the computing device 100 determines that the medication package 18has been retrieved, the computing device 100 discontinues monitoring themedication package 18. Conversely, if the computing device 100determines, within the threshold amount time before the thermal controlperiod expires, that the recipient has not retrieved the medicationpackage 18 from the deposit location, the computing device 100 mayinstruct the UAV 10 or one of the other UAVs 10′ to retrieve themedication package 18 and to return the medication package 18 to the hubstation 210 for later delivery.

It should be understood that the computing device 100 may receive,monitor, or analyze any suitable data instead of or in addition to thedata or measurements described herein and may determine whether todeliver the medication package 18 and/or to retrieve the medicationpackage 18 using any suitable data instead of or in addition to the dataor measurements described herein. Additionally, or alternatively, thecomputing device 100 may determine whether to deliver the medicationpackage 18 and/or to retrieve the medication package 18 using anysuitable technique in addition to or other than those described herein.

In some embodiments, the computing device 100 and/or the system 200 mayperform the methods described herein. However, the methods describedherein as performed by the computing device 100 and/or the system 200are not meant to be limiting, and any type of software executed on acomputing device or a combination of various computing devices mayperform the methods described herein without departing from the scope ofthis disclosure.

The UAV 10 delivers medications, e.g., prescribed medications, from afulfillment center, e.g., a pharmacy, to a delivery location, e.g., apatient home, a healthcare facility, a workplace and the like. Manypatients receive a recurring medication, e.g., a maintenance medication,e.g., blood pressure medication, steroids, insulin and the like. Thesemedications can be repeatedly delivered to the same delivery location.Each time a UAV 10 arrives at the delivery location it can use itsimager and sensors to take reading at the actual delivery location. Thisdata would be the most accurate for the environmental conditions forthat delivery location. The data from the sensors and imager can be usedto develop an accurate model of the environment of the delivery. Forexample, while the delivery location is generally in a southern climate,e.g., with many days of direct sunlight and warm temperatures, e.g.,over 320 days are sunny and temperatures in the summer are typicallygreater than 90 degrees F., the actual delivery location on a rear porchof a home is shaded in the morning or afternoon, then the actual dataabout the delivery location, which can be stored in a database, can beaccessed and used to calculate delivery times and the time a packagecontaining a medication can remain at the delivery location. Continuingthis example, a delivery location a short distance away and possiblyaround the corner would be in direct sunlight and have use its thermalbudget faster as the delivery location is in direct sunlight all day.Only the UAVs being at the delivery locations can determine this levelof granularity of environmental conditions for the multitude of deliverylocations.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram generally illustrating a medication packagedelivery method 300 according to the principles of the presentdisclosure. At 302, the method 300 determines a thermal control periodfor a medication package. For example, the computing device 100determines the thermal control period for the medication package 18.

At 304, the method 300 identifies a delivery location. For example, thecomputing device 100 determines, using the received instructions todeliver the medication package 18, the delivery destination for themedication package 18.

At 306, the method 300 identifies at least one environmentalcharacteristic. For example, the computing device 100 identifies atleast one of the environmental characteristics of the delivery route,the delivery destination, and/or the deposit location for the medicationpackage 18.

At 308, the method 300 determines whether to deliver the medicationpackage. For example, the computing device 100 determines whether todeliver the medication package 18 during the estimated delivery periodbased on the at least one environmental characteristic of the deliveryroute, the delivery destination, and/or the deposit location for themedication package 18.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram generally illustrating an alternativemedication package delivery method 400 according to the principles ofthe present disclosure. At 402, the method 400 determines a thermalcontrol period for a medication package. For example, the computingdevice 100 determines the thermal control period for the medicationpackage 18.

At 404, the method 400 identifies a delivery location. For example, thecomputing device 100 determines, using the received instructions todeliver the medication package 18, the delivery destination for themedication package 18.

At 406, the method 400 identifies a plurality of environmentalcharacteristics. For example, the computing device 100 identifies aplurality of the environmental characteristics of the delivery route,the delivery destination, and/or the deposit location for the medicationpackage 18.

At 408, the method 400 determines whether to deliver the medicationpackage. For example, the computing device 100 determines whether todeliver the medication package 18 during the estimated delivery periodbased on the plurality of the environmental characteristics of thedelivery route, the delivery destination, and/or the deposit locationfor the medication package 18.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram generally illustrating an alternativemedication package delivery method 500 according to the principles ofthe present disclosure. At 502, the method 500 determines a thermalcontrol period for a medication package. For example, the computingdevice 100 determines the thermal control period for the medicationpackage 18.

At 504, the method 500 identifies a delivery location. For example, thecomputing device 100 determines, using the received instructions todeliver the medication package 18, the delivery destination for themedication package 18.

At 506, the method 500 identifies at least one environmentalcharacteristic. For example, the computing device 100 identifies atleast one of the environmental characteristics of the delivery route,the delivery destination, and/or the deposit location for the medicationpackage 18.

At 508, the method 500 identifies at least one recipient characteristic.For example, the computing device 100 identifies at least one of therecipient characteristics, as described.

At 510, the method 500 determines whether to deliver the medicationpackage. For example, the computing device 100 determines whether todeliver the medication package 18 during the estimated delivery periodbased on the at least one environmental characteristic (e.g., of thedelivery route, the delivery destination, and/or the deposit locationfor the medication package 18) and the at least one recipientcharacteristic.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram generally illustrating an alternativemedication package delivery method 600 according to the principles ofthe present disclosure. At 602, the method 600 determines a thermalcontrol period for a medication package. For example, the computingdevice 100 determines the thermal control period for the medicationpackage 18.

At 604, the method 600 determines whether to deliver the medicationpackage. For example, the computing device 100 determines whether todeliver the medication package 18 based on the thermal control period,the environmental characteristic, the location specific characteristics,the recipient characteristics, the probabilities that the recipient willretrieve the medication package 18 during a corresponding period, anyother suitable information, or a combination thereof. If the computingdevice 100 determines to deliver the medication package 18, the method600 continues at 606. If the computing device 100 determines not todeliver the medication package 18, the method 600 continues at 602.

At 606, the method 600 instructs a UAV to transport the medicationpackage to a delivery destination. For example, the computing device 100instructs the UAV 10 to transport the medication package 18 to thedelivery destination.

At 608, the method 600 receives a notification indicating that themedication package was deposited at the delivery destination. Forexample, the UAV 10 may communicate a notification to the computingdevice 100 indicating that the UAV 10 deposited the medication package18 at the deposit location. The UAV 10 may communicate with one or moreof the UAVs 10′, which then may communicate the notification to thecomputing device 100 or the UAV 10 may communicate directly with thecomputing device 100. In some embodiments, the computing device 100 mayreceive sensor information from the one or more sensors of themedication package 18 indicating that the medication package 18 has beendeposited at the delivery destination or at the deposit location.

At 610, the method 600 determines whether a recipient has retrieved themedication package. For example, the computing device 100 determineswhether the recipient has retrieved the medication package 18. If thecomputing device 100 determines that the recipient has retrieved themedication package 18, the method 600 ends. If the computing device 100determines that the recipient has not retrieved the medication package18, the method 600 continues at 612.

At 612, the method 600 calculates a difference between the thermalcontrol period and a package delivery period. For example, the computingdevice 100 may determine the difference between the thermal controlperiod and the delivery period. The difference may indicate an amount oftime remaining before the thermal control period expires.

At 614, the method 600 determines whether the difference is greater thana threshold. For example, the computing device 100 determines whetherthe difference is greater than the threshold. If the computing device100 determines that the difference is less than the threshold, themethod 600 continues at 610. If the computing device 100 determines thatthe difference is greater than the threshold, the method 600 continuesat 616.

At 616, the method 600 instructs a UAV to retrieve the medicationpackage. For example, the computing device 100 instructs the UAV 10 orone of the UAVs 10′ to retrieve the medication package 18 from thedeposit location and to return the medication package 18 to the hubstation 210 for later delivery. The UAV 10 or the one of the UAVs 10′may retrieve the medication package 18 from the deposit location. TheUAV 10 or the one of the UAVs 10′ may return the medication package 18to the hub station 210.

FIG. 8 generally illustrates a schematic view of a system 800 accordingto the principles of the present disclosure. The system 800 includes apharmacy 801, a patient system 803, an autonomous vehicle system 805,and a plurality of autonomous vehicles 807-1, 807-2 . . . 807-N, whichmay be connected over a communication network 810, e.g., a globalcomputer system such as the Internet, or a mobile communication system.

The pharmacy 801 may include a plurality of systems to receive,adjudicate, approve, schedule, and fill a prescription order. Thepharmacy 801 may include a device associated with a retail pharmacylocation (e.g., an exclusive pharmacy location, a grocery store with aretail pharmacy, or a general sales store with a retail pharmacy) orother type of pharmacy location at which a member attempts to obtain aprescription. The pharmacy may use a device to submit the claim to apharmacy benefits management system for adjudication. For example, thismay allow the sharing of member information such as drug history thatmay allow the pharmacy to better service a member (for example, byproviding more informed therapy consultation and drug interactioninformation).

In some embodiments, a benefit manager device may track prescriptiondrug fulfillment and/or other information for users that are notmembers, or have not identified themselves as members, at the time (orin conjunction with the time) in which they seek to have a prescriptionfilled at a pharmacy. The pharmacy 801 may include a pharmacyfulfillment device, an order processing device, and a pharmacymanagement device in communication with each other directly and/or overa network. The order processing device may receive information regardingfilling prescriptions and may direct an order component to one or moredevices of the pharmacy fulfillment device at a pharmacy. The pharmacyfulfillment device may fulfill, dispense, aggregate, and/or pack theorder components of the prescription drugs in accordance with one ormore prescription orders directed by the order processing device. Thepharmacy fulfillment device may include automated systems to fill aprescription or fill environmentally controlled drugs as part of amedicine order.

The medicine order may include a temperature controlled drug asdescribed herein. The pharmacy 801 may set the thermal parameters thatmust be adhered to during delivery. Accordingly, the pharmacy 801 mayinclude one or more physical computers and data storage. The data storemay store related to each individual drug that requires temperaturecontrol. An example of such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No.8,600,903 issued to Charles Eller, filed Jun. 14, 2007, and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/630,373, filed Feb. 24, 2015, which are bothhereby incorporated by reference for any purpose. In an exampleembodiment, a method for determining the thermal budget for a packagecontaining a medication is performed using the environmental data fromthe UAVs. An acceptable temperature range of a temperature sensitivehealth care product is identified. The acceptable temperature range canbe based on a temperature range at which the temperature sensitiveproduct maintains freshness and efficacy. A forecasted temperatureassociated with a product origin location of the temperature sensitivehealth care product is identified. A forecasted temperature associatedwith a product delivery location of the temperature sensitive healthcare product is identified and can be at least partially based on pastenvironmental data measured at the delivery location, currently measuredenvironmental data at the delivery location, or combinations thereof. Ananticipated transit duration of the temperature sensitive health careproduct is identified. A quantity of temperature control elements havinga starting temperature to include in a shipping container to maintainthe acceptable temperature range of the temperature sensitive healthcare product within the shipping container based on the forecastedtemperature associated with the product origin location, the forecastedtemperature associated with the product destination location, theanticipated transit duration is determined. A barrier element ispositioned within the shipping container. The barrier element separatelymaintains the quantity of temperature control elements and thetemperature sensitive health care product in the shipping container. Theidentification steps can be performed by a data processor, which can bepart of the computing device 100, pharmacy 801, the unit of use packingdevice 930 or similar computing devices.

The pharmacy 801 packages medicine orders for delivery by one or more ofthe autonomous vehicles 807-1, 807-2 . . . 807-N. The pharmacy 801 mayinclude shipping stations whereat one or more of the autonomous vehicles807-1, 807-2 . . . 807-N, or ground shippers may pick up a packagedmedical order for delivery to a patient delivery location. The pharmacymay communicate with the patient system 803, which may be an app on acomputing device registered to the patient, the autonomous vehiclesystem 805 and each of the autonomous delivery vehicles 807-1, 807-2 . .. 807-N. The information from the pharmacy 801 about an individualpackage may determine if the package is delivered by the ground vehicle807-1 or flown using an autonomous aircraft 807-2 . . . 807-N. Theaircraft 807-2 . . . 807-N may include any of the components and performthe methods described herein. The aircraft may communicate with eachother as a mesh network while in flight to share sensed data, e.g.,environmental characteristics at the location of the aircraft.

The patient system 803 may be used to place an order for a drug package,e.g., for delivery by one or more of the autonomous vehicles 807-1,807-2 . . . 807-N. The patient system 803 may utilize one or morecomputing devices 842 (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptopcomputer, a desktop computer, or computing devices provided inwristwatches, televisions, set-top boxes, automobiles or any otherappliances or machines), or any other like machine, that may operate oraccess one or more software applications 820, such as a web browser or adedicated application, and may be connected to or otherwise communicatewith the pharmacy 801 or the autonomous vehicles 807-1, 807-2 . . .807-N through the communication network 810 using the transmission andthe receipt of digital data. The patient system 803 includes a processor813 to execute dedicated instructions that are stored in a memory 815.

The patient system 803 may include a location sensor, e.g., satellitenavigation, to track the location of the patient relative to thedelivery location that the vehicle 807-1, 807-2 . . . or 807-N will dropoff the package. The patient system 803 may also provide local weatherdata, e.g., temperature and sunlight to the present system to be used inthe calculation of the thermal budget of a package being carried by thevehicle 807-1, 807-2 . . . 807-N or waiting at the delivery location.The vehicles 807-1, 807-2 . . . 807-N may also communicate theirlocation to the patient system 803 to alert the patient when the packagewill arrive, when the package is dropped off and the estimate of timethat the present system will leave the package at the delivery location.The patient system 803, e.g., through the software application 820 andnetwork, that the package has been picked up to the vehicles 807-1,807-2 . . . 807-N, the vehicle system 805 and/or to the pharmacy 801.

The autonomous vehicles 807-1, 807-2 . . . 807-N may be any type or formof self-powered vehicle capable of being programmed or otherwiseconfigured for autonomous travel to deliver packages, e.g., medicalpackages with medicines in need of controlled environments as describedherein. Each of the autonomous vehicles may include one or moreelectrical components described herein, e.g., at least one processor, amemory, sensors, and a communication devices to communicate with eachother and through the network 810. For example, the autonomous aircraftmay receive instructions or other information or data via thecommunication device for its flight path, delivery location, and sensingof the environment over the path over the network. In an example, thenetwork 810 and vehicles communicate wirelessly, e.g., over mobileprotocols or standard wireless protocols such as Bluetooth® or anyWireless Fidelity (or “Wi-Fi”). The aircraft and ground vehicle may alsocommunicate through one or more wired communication connections, e.g.,Universal Serial Bus (or “USB”) or fiber optic cable.

The autonomous vehicle system 805 may include a server to providedelivery paths and locations to the vehicles for delivery of packages.The autonomous vehicle system 805 may include a memory to store themaps, weather, at least one environment characteristic, vehicle data(e.g., distance capability, battery charge, payload capacity, computedthermal budget for each package and the like) to be used by the server822 or a processor 826. The server 822 may also receive updated datafrom the patient system 803 or the vehicles 807-1, 807-2 . . . 807-N.This data may be used to calculate updated instructions for the vehiclesor to trigger the instructions described herein.

FIG. 9 generally illustrates the pharmacy 801 according to theprinciples of the present disclosure. The pharmacy 801 may be used toprocess and fulfill prescriptions and prescription orders. Afterfulfillment, the fulfilled prescriptions are packed for shipping.

The pharmacy 801 may include devices in communication with a benefitmanager device, an order processing device, and/or the storage device,directly or over the network. Specifically, the pharmacy 801 may includepallet sizing and pucking device(s) 906, loading device(s) 908, inspectdevice(s) 910, unit of use device(s) 912, automated dispensing device(s)914, manual fulfillment device(s) 916 (which may be fulfillenvironmentally controlled drugs), review devices 918, imaging device(s)920, cap device(s) 922, accumulation devices 924, packing device(s) 926,literature device(s) 928, unit of use packing device(s) 930 (which maybe pack environmentally controlled drugs), and mail manifest device(s)232. Further, the pharmacy 801 may include additional devices, which maycommunicate with each other directly or over the network.

In some embodiments, operations performed by one of these devices906-932 may be performed sequentially, or in parallel with theoperations of another device as may be coordinated by the orderprocessing device, which may include a dedicated processor in operablecommunication with a memory. In some embodiments, the order-processingdevice tracks a prescription with the pharmacy based on operationsperformed by one or more of the devices 906-932.

In some embodiments, the pharmacy may transport prescription drugcontainers, for example, among the devices 906-932 in the high-volumefulfillment center, by use of pallets. The pallet sizing and puckingdevice 906 may configure pucks in a pallet. A pallet may be a transportstructure for a number of prescription containers, and may include anumber of cavities. A puck may be placed in one or more than one of thecavities in a pallet by the pallet sizing and pucking device 906. Thepuck may include a receptacle sized and shaped to receive a prescriptioncontainer. Such containers may be supported by the pucks during carriagein the pallet. Different pucks may have differently sized and shapedreceptacles to accommodate containers of differing sizes, as may beappropriate for different prescriptions.

The arrangement of pucks in a pallet may be determined by the orderprocessing device based on prescriptions that the order processingdevice decides to launch. The arrangement logic may be implementeddirectly in the pallet sizing and pucking device 906. Once aprescription is set to be launched, a puck suitable for the appropriatesize of container for that prescription may be positioned in a pallet bya robotic arm or pickers. The pallet sizing and pucking device 906 maylaunch a pallet once pucks have been configured in the pallet.

The loading device 908 may load prescription containers into the puckson a pallet by a robotic arm, a pick and place mechanism (also referredto as pickers), etc. In various embodiments, the loading device 908 hasrobotic arms or pickers to grasp a prescription container and move it toand from a pallet or a puck. The loading device 908 may also print alabel that is appropriate for a container that is to be loaded onto thepallet, and apply the label to the container. The pallet may be locatedon a conveyor assembly during these operations (e.g., at the high-volumefulfillment center, etc.).

The inspect device 910 may verify that containers in a pallet arecorrectly labeled and in the correct spot on the pallet. The inspectdevice 910 may scan the label on one or more containers on the pallet.Labels of containers may be scanned or imaged in full or in part by theinspect device 910. Such imaging may occur after the container has beenlifted out of corresponding puck by a robotic arm, picker, etc., or maybe otherwise scanned or imaged while retained in the puck. In someembodiments, images and/or video captured by the inspect device 910 maybe stored in the storage device as order data.

The unit of use device 912 may temporarily store, monitor, label, and/ordispense unit of use products. In general, unit of use products areprescription drug products that may be delivered to a user or memberwithout being repackaged at the pharmacy. These products may includepills in a container, pills in a blister pack, inhalers, temperaturecontrolled drugs, etc. Prescription drug products dispensed by the unitof use device 912 may be packaged individually or collectively forshipping, or may be shipped in combination with other prescription drugsdispensed by other devices in the high-volume fulfillment center. Theunit of use device 912, in the case of thermally controlled medications,may compute the packaging and coolant devices to be used in themedication package using actual delivery location environmentalcharacteristics and data relating to the delivery location.

At least some of the operations of the devices 906-932 may be directedby the order processing device. For example, the manual fulfillmentdevice 916, the review device 918, the automated dispensing device 914,and/or the packing device 926, etc. may receive instructions provided bythe order processing device.

The automated dispensing device 914 may include one or more devices thatdispense prescription drugs or pharmaceuticals into prescriptioncontainers in accordance with one or multiple prescription orders. Ingeneral, the automated dispensing device 914 may include mechanical andelectronic components with, in some embodiments, software and/or logicto facilitate pharmaceutical dispensing that would otherwise beperformed in a manual fashion by a pharmacist and/or pharmacisttechnician. For example, the automated dispensing device 914 may includehigh-volume fillers that fill a number of prescription drug types at arapid rate and blister pack machines that dispense and pack drugs into ablister pack. Prescription drugs dispensed by the automated dispensingdevices 914 may be packaged individually or collectively for shipping,or may be shipped in combination with other prescription drugs dispensedby other devices in the high-volume fulfillment center.

The manual fulfillment device 916 controls how prescriptions aremanually fulfilled. For example, the manual fulfillment device 916 mayreceive or obtain a container and enable fulfillment of the container bya pharmacist or pharmacy technician. In some embodiments, the manualfulfillment device 916 provides the filled container to another devicein the pharmacy fulfillment devices to be joined with other containersin a prescription order for a user or member. For example,non-environmentally controlled drugs and environmentally controlleddrugs may be filled and joined together for packaging.

In general, manual fulfillment may include operations at least partiallyperformed by a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician. For example, aperson may retrieve a supply of the prescribed drug, may make anobservation, may count out a prescribed quantity of drugs and place theminto a prescription container, etc. or retrieve drugs from a cooler.Some portions of the manual fulfillment process may be automated by useof a machine. For example, counting of capsules, tablets, or pills maybe at least partially automated (such as through use of a pill counter).Prescription drugs dispensed by the manual fulfillment device 916 may bepackaged individually or collectively for shipping, or may be shipped incombination with other prescription drugs dispensed by other devices inthe high-volume fulfillment center.

The review device 918 may process prescription containers to be reviewedby a pharmacist for proper pill count, exception handling, prescriptionverification, etc. Fulfilled prescriptions may be manually reviewedand/or verified by a pharmacist, as may be required by state or locallaw. A pharmacist or other licensed pharmacy person who may dispensecertain drugs in compliance with local and/or other laws may operate thereview device 918 and visually inspect a prescription container that hasbeen filled with a prescription drug. The pharmacist may review, verify,and/or evaluate drug quantity, drug strength, and/or drug interactionconcerns, or otherwise perform pharmacist services. The pharmacist mayalso handle containers which have been flagged as an exception, such ascontainers with unreadable labels, containers for which the associatedprescription order has been canceled, containers with defects, etc. Inan example, the manual review may be performed at a manual reviewstation.

The imaging device 920 may image containers once they have been filledwith pharmaceuticals. The imaging device 920 may measure a fill heightof the pharmaceuticals in the container based on the obtained image todetermine if the container is filled to the correct height given thetype of pharmaceutical and the number of pills in the prescription.Images of the pills in the container may also be obtained to detect thesize of the pills themselves and markings thereon. A temperaturecontrolled package may be imaged to ensure the correct coolant is in thepackage. The images may be transmitted to the order processing deviceand/or stored in the storage device as part of the order data.

The cap device 922 may be used to cap or otherwise seal a prescriptioncontainer. In some embodiments, the cap device 922 may secure aprescription container with a type of cap in accordance with a userpreference (e.g., a preference regarding child resistance, etc.), a plansponsor preference, a prescriber preference, etc. The cap device 922 mayalso etch a message into the cap, although this process may be performedby a subsequent device in the high-volume fulfillment center.

The accumulation device 924 accumulates various containers ofprescription drugs in a prescription order. The accumulation device 924may accumulate prescription containers from various devices or areas ofthe pharmacy. For example, the accumulation device 924 may accumulateprescription containers from the unit of use device 912, the automateddispensing device 914, the manual fulfillment device 916, and the reviewdevice 918. The accumulation device 924 may be used to group theprescription containers prior to shipment to the member.

The literature device 928 prints, or otherwise generates, literature toinclude with each prescription drug order. The literature may be printedon multiple sheets of substrates, such as paper, coated paper, printablepolymers, or combinations of the above substrates. The literatureprinted by the literature device 928 may include information required toaccompany the prescription drugs included in a prescription order, otherinformation related to prescription drugs in the order, financialinformation associated with the order (for example, an invoice or anaccount statement), etc.

In some embodiments, the literature device 928 folds or otherwiseprepares the literature for inclusion with a prescription drug order(e.g., in a shipping container). In other embodiments, the literaturedevice 928 prints the literature and is separate from another devicethat prepares the printed literature for inclusion with a prescriptionorder.

The packing device 926 packages the prescription order in preparationfor shipping the order. The packing device 926 may box, bag, orotherwise package the fulfilled prescription order for delivery. Thepacking device 926 may further place inserts (e.g., literature or otherpapers, etc.) into the packaging received from the literature device928. For example, bulk prescription orders may be shipped in a box,while other prescription orders may be shipped in a bag, which may be awrap seal bag.

The packing device 926 may label the box or bag with an address and arecipient's name. The label may be printed and affixed to the bag orbox, be printed directly onto the bag or box, or otherwise associatedwith the bag or box. The packing device 926 may sort the box or bag formailing in an efficient manner (e.g., sort by delivery address, etc.).The packing device 926 may include ice or temperature sensitive elementsfor prescriptions that are to be kept within a temperature range duringshipping (for example, this may be necessary in order to retainefficacy). The ultimate package may then be shipped through postal mail,through a mail order delivery service that ships via ground and/or air(e.g., UPS, FEDEX, or DHL, etc.), through a delivery service, through alocker box at a shipping site (e.g., AMAZON locker or a PO Box, etc.),or otherwise to a delivery location. Some packages will be deliveredusing autonomous delivery vehicles, e.g., ground vehicles or aircraft,to the delivery location.

The unit of use packing device 930 packages a unit of use prescriptionorder in preparation for shipping the order. The unit of use packingdevice 930 may include manual scanning of containers to be bagged forshipping to verify each container in the order. In an exampleimplementation, the manual scanning may be performed at a manualscanning station. A mail manifest device 232 may print mailing labelsused by the packing device 926 and may print shipping manifests andpacking lists.

Multiple devices may share processing and/or memory resources. Thedevices 906-932 may be located in the same area or in differentlocations. For example, the devices 906-932 may be located in a buildingor set of adjoining buildings. The devices 906-932 may be interconnected(such as by conveyors), networked, and/or otherwise in contact with oneanother or integrated with one another (e.g., at the high-volumefulfillment center, etc.). In addition, the functionality of a devicemay be split among a number of discrete devices and/or combined withother devices.

In some embodiments, a method for controlling an autonomous unmannedaerial vehicle for delivery of a medication package includes determininga thermal control period for the medication package. The method alsoincludes identifying a delivery location corresponding to the medicationpackage. The method also includes identifying at least one environmentalcharacteristic of an environment that includes a deliverythree-dimensional flight path between a starting location and thedelivery location, wherein the at least one environmental characteristicindicates an actual weather value at the delivery location. The methodalso includes determining whether to deliver the medication packagebased on the thermal control period and the at least one environmentalcharacteristic, using the unmanned aerial vehicle.

In some embodiments, the thermal control period corresponds to a periodthat a medication of the medication package may safely remain in themedication package. In some embodiments, the at least one environmentalcharacteristic includes a thermal profile of the delivery location. Insome embodiments, the at least one environmental characteristic includesa maximum predicted wind velocity along the delivery flight path. Insome embodiments, the at least one environmental characteristic includesan average predicted wind velocity along the delivery flight path. Insome embodiments, the at least one environmental characteristic includesan average predicted thermal exposure of the medication package alongthe delivery flight path. In some embodiments, the at least oneenvironmental characteristic includes an average predicted thermalexposure of the medication package during a period the medicationpackage is estimated to be at the delivery location. In someembodiments, the method also includes identifying at least one recipientcharacteristic corresponding to a recipient of the medication package,wherein determining whether to deliver the medication package is furtherbased on the at least one recipient characteristic. In some embodiments,the unmanned aerial vehicle communicates with at least other unmannedaerial vehicles using a mesh network.

In some embodiments, an apparatus for controlling unmanned flightdelivery of a medication package includes a processor and a memory. Thememory includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, causethe processor to: determine a thermal control period for the medicationpackage; identify a delivery location corresponding to the medicationpackage; identify at least one environmental characteristic of anenvironment that includes a delivery three-dimensional flight pathbetween a starting location and the delivery location, wherein the atleast one environmental characteristic includes, at least, an actualweather condition at the delivery location; and determine whether todeliver the medication package based on the thermal control period andthe at least one environmental characteristic, using an unmanned aerialvehicle.

In some embodiments, the thermal control period corresponds to a periodthat a medication of the medication package may safely remain in themedication package. In some embodiments, the at least one environmentalcharacteristic includes a thermal profile of the delivery location. Insome embodiments, the at least one environmental characteristic includesa maximum predicted wind velocity along the delivery flight path. Insome embodiments, the at least one environmental characteristic includesan average predicted wind velocity along the delivery flight path. Insome embodiments, the at least one environmental characteristic includesan average predicted thermal exposure of the medication package alongthe delivery flight path. In some embodiments, at least oneenvironmental characteristic includes an average predicted thermalexposure of the medication package during a period the medicationpackage is estimated to be at the delivery location. In someembodiments, the instructions further cause the processor to identify atleast one recipient characteristic corresponding to a recipient of themedication package; and determine whether to deliver the medicationpackage based on the thermal control period; the at least oneenvironmental characteristic; and the at least one recipientcharacteristic. In some embodiments, the unmanned aerial vehiclecommunicates with at least other unmanned aerial vehicles using a meshnetwork.

In some embodiments, a computing device for controlling delivery of amedication package includes at least one processor and at least onememory. The at least one memory includes instructions that, whenexecuted by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processorto: determine a thermal control period for the medication package;determine whether to deliver the medication package based on the thermalcontrol period and at least one environmental characteristiccorresponding to a delivery path between a delivery hub and a deliverydestination; in response to a determination to deliver the medicationpackage, selectively instruct an unmanned aerial vehicle to transportthe medication package from the delivery hub to the deliverydestination; receive a notification from the unmanned aerial vehicleindicating that the unmanned aerial vehicle deposited the medicationpackage at the delivery destination; determine, in response to receivingthe notification, whether a recipient of the medication package hasretrieved the medication package; in response to a determination thatthe recipient of the medication package has not retrieved the medicationpackage, calculate a difference between the thermal control period and apackage delivery period, the package delivery period corresponding to aperiod between the unmanned aerial vehicle leaving the delivery hub withthe medication package and a current time; and in response to adetermination that the difference between the thermal control period andthe package delivery period is less than a threshold, selectivelyinstruct one of the unmanned aerial vehicle or one of a plurality ofother unmanned aerial vehicles to retrieve the medication package fromthe delivery destination.

In some embodiments, the unmanned aerial vehicle and the plurality ofother unmanned aerial vehicles include autonomous unmanned aerialvehicles.

In some embodiments, the package being delivered to the destinationlocation has a thermal budget. The thermal budget can be defined as thethermal energy as a function of temperature and time experienced by thepackage contents, e.g., the medicine, drug, or the like. The thermalbudget can be visualized the area under a time-temperature curvecharacterizing the storage and delivery process. Embodiments of thepresent disclosure attempt to minimize the impact on the thermal budgetby reducing the travel time using UAVs to travel in a more straight lineroute to the delivery location, not be stored in a delivery van forhours, and use actual environmental characteristics at the deliverylocation. The delivery UAV or other UAVs can detect the environmentalcharacteristics at the delivery location at the time of delivery, beforedelivery (e.g., by other UAVs), and after delivery by other UAVs. Insome cases, UAV not delivering a package can be routed to the deliverylocation for a package delivered by another UAV to determine the actualenvironmental characteristics at the delivery location, e.g.,temperature, wind, shade, direct sunlight, etc. The subsequent UAV canalso confirm that the package has been removed from the deliverylocation by the recipient.

In computing the thermal budget, the present system can use thecharacteristics of the package itself to determine how the environmentcharacteristics affect the thermal budget of the package contents. Thepackage has certain thermal conductivity that may use the thermal budgetof the package contents at different rates based on the environmentalcharacteristic. Certain packages may reflect more sunlight than adifferent package, this will extend the time a package may be positionedat a delivery location in direct sunlight than the different package.Some packages may include greater insulation than a different package,which may extend the time this type of package may be positioned at adelivery location than the different package. All of characteristics ofthe package, the contents, the historical environmental characteristics,and the actual environmental characteristics can be used to determinewhen the delivery by UAV is made, the route of the UAV, and how long apackage can remain at a delivery location can be used to calculate thedelivery of the package contents.

The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles andvarious embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations andmodifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once theabove disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the followingclaims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.

The word “example” is used herein to mean serving as an example,instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as“example” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word“example” is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As usedin this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or”rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, orclear from context, “X includes A or B” is intended to mean any of thenatural inclusive permutations. That is, if X includes A; X includes B;or X includes both A and B, then “X includes A or B” is satisfied underany of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles “a” and “an”as used in this application and the appended claims should generally beconstrued to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear fromcontext to be directed to a singular form. Moreover, use of the term “animplementation” or “one implementation” throughout is not intended tomean the same embodiment or implementation unless described as such.

Implementations of the systems, algorithms, methods, instructions, etc.,described herein may be realized in hardware, software, or anycombination thereof. The hardware may include, for example, computers,intellectual property (IP) cores, application-specific integratedcircuits (A SIC s), programmable logic arrays, optical processors,programmable logic controllers, microcode, microcontrollers, servers,microprocessors, digital signal processors, or any other suitablecircuit. In the claims, the term “processor” should be understood asencompassing any of the foregoing hardware, either singly or incombination. The terms “signal” and “data” are used interchangeably.

As used herein, the term module may include a packaged functionalhardware unit designed for use with other components, a set ofinstructions executable by a controller (e.g., a processor executingsoftware or firmware), processing circuitry configured to perform aparticular function, and a self-contained hardware or software componentthat interfaces with a larger system. For example, a module may includean application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field ProgrammableGate Array (FPGA), a circuit, digital logic circuit, an analog circuit,a combination of discrete circuits, gates, and other types of hardwareor combination thereof. In other embodiments, a module may includememory that stores instructions executable by a controller to implementa feature of the module.

Further, in one aspect, for example, systems described herein may beimplemented using a special purpose computer/processor may be utilizedwhich may contain hardware for carrying out any of the methods,algorithms, or instructions described herein. The hardware may become aspecial purpose device when storing instructions, loading instructions,or executing instructions for the methods and/or algorithms describedherein.

Further, all or a portion of implementations of the present disclosuremay take the form of a computer program product accessible from, forexample, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium. The programincludes steps to perform, at least, portions of the methods describedherein. A computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any devicethat can, for example, tangibly contain, store, communicate, ortransport the program for use by or in connection with any processor.The medium may be, for example, an electronic, magnetic, optical,electromagnetic, or a semiconductor device. Other suitable mediums arealso available.

The above-described embodiments, implementations, and aspects have beendescribed in order to allow easy understanding of the present disclosureand do not limit the present disclosure. On the contrary, the disclosureis intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangementsincluded within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to beaccorded the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modificationsand equivalent structure as is permitted under the law.

What is claimed is:
 1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising fordelivery of a perishable: a body; a lift provider coupled with the body;a carrier coupled with the body, the carrier operable between a holdconfiguration and a release configuration; a plurality of sensorscoupled with the body; a controller in communication with the body, thelift provider, the plurality of sensors, and the carrier, the controllerbeing configured to: identify a thermal budget of the perishable;identify a destination for the perishable; identify a plurality ofenvironmental characteristics along a three-dimensional flight pathbetween pick-up location and the destination; determine whether theperishable can be delivered at the destination without expending thethermal budget of the perishable; in response to delivery of theperishable, generate a first adjusted thermal control period based on:the thermal budget; the plurality of environmental characteristics; anda measured amount of sun exposure, measured by the plurality of sensors,at the destination; and instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to retrieveand return the perishable to the pick-up location by a first time thefirst adjusted thermal control period expends.
 2. The unmanned aerialvehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at leastone of a temperature sensor, an image sensor, a global positioningsystem sensor, and a wind speed sensor.
 3. The unmanned aerial vehicleof claim 2, wherein the controller generates a second adjusted controlperiod based on the first adjusted thermal control period and at leastone of a measured wind speed and a measured temperature along thethree-dimensional flight path and at the destination.
 4. The unmannedaerial vehicle of claim 3, wherein the controller instructs the unmannedaerial vehicle to retrieve and return the perishable to the pick-uplocation by a second time the second adjusted thermal control periodexpends.
 5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the thermalbudget is at least partially defined as a temperature range theperishable tolerates without degradation past a degradation threshold.6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the destinationincludes a plurality of potential deposit locations, and wherein thecontroller determines an actual deposit location based on: a temperatureof the perishable; the temperature range; and a respective plurality ofshade levels of the plurality of potential deposit locations.
 7. Theunmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the instruction for theunmanned aerial vehicle to retrieve and return the perishable iscanceled in response to the controller receiving a communication from arecipient device that a recipient of the perishable claims theperishable.
 8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein theperishable includes an accompanying thermal control mechanism.
 9. Theunmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the accompanying thermalcontrol mechanism resist an increase of temperature of the perishable.10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein the accompanyingthermal control mechanism resist a decrease of temperature of theperishable.
 11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein thecontroller determines a volume of the thermal control mechanism based onthe first adjusted thermal control period.
 12. The unmanned aerialvehicle of claim 1, wherein the perishable includes a medication,wherein the pick-up location corresponds with a pharmacy, and whereinthe destination corresponds with a patient.
 13. The unmanned aerialvehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of environmentalcharacteristics include a current weather measurement communicated withthe controller from a weather database.
 14. A method for controlling anunmanned aerial vehicle for delivery of a perishable, the methodcomprising: identifying a thermal budget of the perishable; identifyinga destination for the perishable; identifying a plurality ofenvironmental characteristics along a three-dimensional flight pathbetween pick-up location and the destination; determining, at aprocessor, whether the perishable can be delivered at the destinationwithout expending the thermal budget of the perishable; measuring, by aplurality of sensors, an amount of sun exposure at the destination; inresponse to delivery of the perishable, generating a first adjustedthermal control period based on: the thermal budget; the plurality ofenvironmental characteristics; and the measured amount of sun exposure;instructing, by the processor, the unmanned aerial vehicle toselectively retrieve and return the perishable to the pick-up locationby a first time the first adjusted thermal control period expends; andcanceling, selectively, the instructing of the unmanned aerial vehicleto retrieve and return the perishable based on a recipient of theperishable receiving a communication from a recipient device that arecipient of the perishable claims the perishable.
 15. The method ofclaim 14 further including: generating a second adjusted control periodbased on the first adjusted thermal control period and at least one of ameasured wind speed and a measured temperature along the flight path andat the destination; and instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle toretrieve and return the perishable to the pick-up location by a secondtime the second adjusted thermal control period expends.
 16. The methodof claim 14 further including: measuring a temperature of theperishable; identifying a temperature range the perishable tolerateswithout degradation past a degradation threshold based on the thermalbudget; and determining an actual deposit location chosen from aplurality of potential deposit locations at the destination based on thetemperature of the perishable, the temperature range, and a respectiveplurality of shade levels of the plurality of potential depositlocations.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the perishable includesan accompanying thermal control mechanism to resist a change intemperature of the perishable.
 18. The method of claim 17 furtherincluding: calculating a volume of the accompanying thermal controlmechanism based on the first adjusted thermal control period.
 19. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the step of identifying a plurality ofenvironmental characteristics includes receiving weather measurementsfrom a weather database.
 20. The method of claim 14, wherein theperishable includes a pharmaceutical, the pick-up location correspondswith a pharmacy, and the recipient of the perishable is a patient.